Dogan's cafe, Fitness through active video games

The usual video or computer games confines the gamer to his seat for hours and calories are not burned. Not good for health, right? Well, one can still have the fun of playing video games and burn calories at the same time.

Enter... Active video games with the likes of video games played through XBOX Kinect technology. And there is actually a "gym" in Cebu which uses the XBOX Kinect instead of gym equipment. Instead of aerobics and zumba sessions, this fitness studio holds Dance Central, Dragonball Kinect and Fruit Ninja Kinect sessions with an instructor/videogame coach.

Dogan's cafe (Photo courtesy of Mr. John Alindogan)

The fitness studio I'm talking about is Dogan Cafe Videogame Fitness Studio located at the Persimmon Plus in Mabolo, Cebu City. It is open Mondays to Saturdays from 1 pm to 9 pm and reservations can be made by calling this number 09153047476.


Below are the regular rates:

• All access per day - P250
• All access per week - P500
• All access per month - P2000

It is Dogan Cafe's vision to produce active cyberathletes competing against other active gamers from anywhere in the globe. And so aside from catering to kids, friends and families who are using the Kinect for fun, Dogan's cafe is also encouraging customers to be serious cyberathletes improving their skills and scores each time they visit.

Dogan's cafe holds Dance Central mini-tournaments every Saturday, as well as the Dance Central Party held at the Persimmon outdoor activity grounds every Saturday and Sunday night, 7 pm to 11 pm. The Dance Central Party is open to everyone.

Lapu-Lapu Youth volunteers join Online Newsroom Workshop

Lapu-Lapu City is one of the cities in Cebu which is in the forefront of social media and internet use. To recall, the Lapu-Lapu mayor had her State of the City address livestreamed for netizens. The city has also been tapping social media for tourism. And now this idea of having youth volunteers come aboard in "inculcating a culture of tourism and excellence in the digital age" through online means.

Over 100 youth volunteers composed of campus journalists from different schools in the said city as well as members of the Sanguniang Kabataan (SK) joined the first Online Newsroom Workshop held at the Lapu-Lapu City Sports Complex last October 7. The workshop was given by blogger-journalist Max Limpag, co-founder of Innopub and ably supported by SK Federation president Nicole Balao, the office of the city mayor (as organizer) and the local Department of Education (DepEd).

Lapu-Lapu City mayor Paz Radaza bared that she is partnering with the youth to spread the good news about the city of Lapu-Lapu to the world. In her speech during the activity, Radaza said, ""your innate ability to use Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram can catapult our city to heights never imagined before". According to the mayor, the activity was history in the making since the city

is "the only LGU that has harnessed the youth on two very strategic front - tourism and the world wide web".

Excellent idea Lapu-Lapu City!

Since the youth volunteers are really into social media, perhaps the next activity the office of the city mayor should organize is a talk on Responsible Use of Social Media which I am willing to give  since it is my advocacy.

Reformulated Rexidol Forte Launched in Cebu

Rexidol Forte is back. Instead of the 600 mg Paracetamol formulation, it has become a reformulated 500 mg Paracetamol and 65 mg Caffeine fever and pain medication which comes at an affordable price of less than 4 pesos.

The reformulated Rexidol Forte of Unilab Consumer Health was launched last September 27, 2012 in front of mainstream and new media at the Parklane Hotel Diane Hall. It was graced by Rexidol Forte ambassador and media personality Bobby "Super Bobby" Nalzaro who talked about his personal experience with Rexidol Forte.

Product representatives of Rexidol Forte stressed that unlike other Paracetamol preparations with caffeine, Rexidol Forte is safer because it has no propyphenazone. People taking medications with propyphenazone according to them have higher odds for anaphylactic (severe allergic) reactions than those taking medications without propyphenazone.

In addition, the caffeine in Rexidol Forte (which is lesser than 6 oz of brewed coffee and within the range of 1 cup of instant coffee) is claimed to increase the absorption of Paracetamol thereby "unleashing Paracetamol" and its pain-relieving effects. This reportedly make Rexidol Forte a recommended medication for the relief of severe headache (Labad sa Ulo), fever (Hilanat), extreme body pain (Pamaol) and "bughat".

Those taking Rexidol Forte are advised to refrain from taking caffeine-containing beverages, drinks or food while on Rexidol Forte.

Expect to see Rexidol Forte already reformulated in your favorite drugstores soon.

Pistahang Cebuana - Pasasalamat Concert with Sarah Geronimo in Cebu

24K cardholders of Cebuana Lhuillier in Cebu have more reason to celebrate the 25th year anniversary of their favorite pawnshop because joining them is no less than Pop Princess Sarah Geronimo, the face of Cebuano Lhuillier. Other celebrities may also be present with Sarah G along with Cebuana Lhuillier executives.

This event is dubbed Pistahang Cebuana and it will be on September 14, 2012, 6:30PM at the Cebu Coliseum. 24K cardholders, you can go to your nearest Cebuana Lhuillier branch for more details and confirm your attendance.

Expect an entertaining evening of music that will surely be unforgettable.

Convention on Healthy Aging in Cebu

In celebration of the Senior Citizens Month, the Golden Center of Cebu Inc. (GCCI) will be holding a two-day convention with the theme “Healthy Aging & Its Issues” on October 2 & 3, 2012 at the Grand Convention Center of Cebu. This will also serve as part of the organization’s tenth founding anniversary celebration.

 

Topics of human interest include the following: Skin Care At Sunset; Policies In Aging & Retirement; All Aboard To Gerontology; Towards A Barrier-Free Environment; Hypertension In The Elderly; Comfort Food For The Elderly; Chiropractic For You & Me; The Agony of Alzheimer’s Disease; Sleep Disorder In The Elderly: Early To Bed, Early To Rise,among others.

 

There will be two luncheon symposia topics: Day 1 will be on Regenerative Medicine: Stem Cell in Neurodegenerative Diseases & Aesthetics Application Treatment; and Day 2 will feature an Inter-cities Sharing of Best Practices n the Elderly Program from the cities of Makati, Tacloban, Davao, Talisay, Mandaue and Cebu.

 

This event will be a gathering of multisectoral associations of doctors, nurses, midwives, nutritionists, educators, and other allied medical sciences, students and members of NGOs, various civic and government agencies, etc., all working together towards the improvement of the quality of life for the special members of every Filipino community which are the aging, the aged, the elders and the elderly.

 

For inquiries, you may contact: Dr. Edwin Menguito (0917-438-5370) or Dr. David Gaviola (0917-546-4584).

Above article is a guest post by Dr. Henry Yu.

Starmobile FeatureSmart T601i Review by an Ordinary Cellphone User

I got the chance to try the first of a series of mobile phones that incorporates the best features of a smartphone but is not exactly a smartphone -- the Smartmobile FeatureSmart T601i which comes at an affordable price of P3,290. And didn't I mention? It's dual-sim capable, perfect especially for the Filipino user.

Box showing the features of the unit

The view from the top

Below are photos which show how it looks like from different angles and gives you an idea of what it is made off.

Anterior part of the unit with the port for the charger (center), power on button (left), ear phone port (right)

caudal portion with the home button (center), back button (right)

Back view showing the built-in 3.2 MP camera and TV antenna (lower right hand corner)

When you power on, this is how the screen would look like...

This unit is touchscreen, specifically a responsive 3.5" capacitive touchscreen type and I am satisfied with how it responds. Tapping the Main Menu will give you this...

This shows it has wireless connectivity and features resembling a smartphone

Notice Facebook, Twitter, Inquirer, JobMarket, YM?

I was able to use the wifi connectivity of this unit. Opera mobile is its built-in browser. The App store has limited number of apps though and the games do not have the superior graphics of smartphones.

Now let's the TV.

Mobile TV works with the local TV channels. Good!

Of course it has FM radio also.

For a dual-sim capable phone with smartphone features, it may not satisfy the "advanced" users but it is definitely suited for the ordinary user who wants to try the more expensive smartphone but could not afford to buy one.